Weathervane lock

ABSTRACT

The lock is disclosed in the context of a mechanism for inhibiting the unauthorized removal of the rotatable portion of a weathervane of the type including a vane, a rotatable shaft affixed to the vane and a rigid shaft which supports the rotatable shaft and vane. The weathervane lock has a pair of mutually mating flanges which are rigidly affixed to and around the rotatable shaft. A housing assembly which is rigidly affixed to the support shaft encloses the flanges but without normally contacting the flanges or the rotatable shaft. The housing assembly includes two halves which are interconnected by pivot pins; the two halves, when closed upon each other, enclose all fastening devices which affix the flanges and the housing assembly to the weathervane. A padlock may be used to hold the housing assembly in the closed position. An attempt to remove the rotatable portion of the weathervane from the support shaft is resisted because the flanges on the rotatable shaft come into contact with the inner surface of the housing assembly which is affixed to the support shaft.

United States Patent [191 Coolidge [4 1 Aug. 26, 1975 Primary ExaminerRobert L. Wolfe [57] ABSTRACT The lock is disclosed in the context of a mechanism for inhibiting the unauthorized removal of the rotatable portion of a weathervane of the type including a vane, a rotatable shaft affixed to the vane and a rigid shaft which supports the rotatable shaft and vane. The weathervane lock has a pair of mutually mating flanges which are rigidly affixed to and around the rotatable shaft, A housing assembly which is rigidly affixed to the support shaft encloses the flanges but without normally contacting the flanges or the rotatable shaft. The housing assembly includes two halves which are interconnected by pivot pins; the two halves, when closed upon each other, enclose all fastening devices which affix the flanges and the housing assembly to the weathervane. A padlock may be used to hold the housing assembly in the closed position. An attemptt'o remove the rotatable portion of the weathervane from the support shaft is resisted because the flanges on the rotatable shaft come into contact with the inner surface of the housing assembly which is affixed to the support shaft.

3 Claims, 7 Drawing Figures PATENTEB M1826 I975 SEECET 1 UF 2 FIG. 5

WEATHERVANE LOCK BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to the art of lock mechanisms and, more particularly, to a lock for preventing the unauthorized removal of a weathervane from its support.

The weathervane is a widely known device for indicating the direction of the wind. The vane itself is usually a thin, flat object which rotates about a vertical axis in response to the forces of the wind. A typical weathervane includes a vertical rotatable shaft affixed to the vane and a vertical support shaft which is affixed to the top of a suitable structure. The two shafts are coaxially mounted one upon the other, the abutting ends of the shafts having suitable means, such as a spindle on one shaft located within a cavity on the other shaft, to allow the vane to rotate freely with respect to the support shaft. The rotatable portion of the weathervane may be removed by merely lifting it upwardly from the support shaft.

The ease with which the weathervane may be removed from the support shaft makes the weathervane susceptible to theft and vandalism.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION In accordance with the present invention, there is provided a weathervane lock which overcomes the problems previously mentioned. More specifically, the lock inhibits the separation of the weathervane from the support shaft without inhibiting the normal operation of the weathervane. This feature is accomplished by enlarging a portion of the cross-sectional area of the rotatable shaft and enclosing the enlarged portion within a housing which is rigidly affixed to the support shaft. The housing has suitable openings through which the rotatable shaft is aligned so that the rotatable shaft may rotate freely. However, these openings are smaller than the enlarged portion of the shaft so that the two shafts may not be separated.

Several additional features are provided in the preferred embodiment of the invention. The enlarged portion of the rotatable shaft comprises a pair of mutually mating flanges having a generally spherical outer contour and a central channel. The flanges are positioned around the rotatable shaft so that the shaft is located within the central channels. The flanges are connected together with appropriate fasteners. Suitable fasteners, such as set screws, may also be used to hold the flanges rigid with respect to the rotatable shaft.

The housing assembly comprises a pair of housing halves, the first of which is rigidly affixed to the support shaft, the second half being connected to the first by pivot pins. The two housing halves are thus hinged together so that they may be appropriately opened to receive the flanges and then closed to enclose the flanges. Suitable means such as a padlock, retain the housing halves in the closed position.

There are several advantageous features of the present invention. First, a relatively uncomplicated, economical device is described which holds together two endwise abutting shafts capable of relative rotation with respect to each other. When used with a weathervane, the lock is compatible with existing weathervanes with only minor modifications. For example all that need be done is to drill a few small cavities in the shafts of the weathervane, which cavities receive the ends of set screws. In another feature, all fastening devices which connect the flanges to the rotatable shaft and the housing assembly to the support shaft are surrounded by the housing assembly when the assembly is in the closed position. Thus, the lock may be disassembled only when the padlock is removed. The weathervane lock is quite compact and substantially symmetrically disposed around the shafts of the weathervane so that the lock does not unduly detract from the appearance of the weathervane. On the other hand, the presence of the lock is readily noticeable which itself discourages theft or vandalism.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS In the drawings:

FIG. 1 is an elevational view of a weathervane embodying the lock of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a side elevational view of the lock;

FIG. 3 is a sectional view, which is rotated counterclockwise, taken along lines 33 of FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is a sectional view, which is rotated 90 counterclockwise, taken along lines 44 in FIG. 2;

FIG. 5 is a sectional view, which is rotated 90 counterclockwise, taken along lines 5-5 in FIG. 2;

FIG. 6 is an exploded perspective view of a flange assembly shown in sectional view in FIG. 3;

FIG. 7 is a side elevational view in partial section of the lock in which the housing assembly is in the open position.

DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS v Referring now to the drawings, and more specifically to FIG. 1, there is shown an illustrative embodiment of a lock for a weathervane. In FIG. 1, a typical weathervane 10 is illustrated in combination with a lock 12 according to the present invention. The weathervane 10 has a thin, flat vane member 14, which is rigidly affixed to horizontally directed arrow 16. The vane 14 and arrow 16 are rigidly affixed to a shaft 18. The weathervane may be mounted on the top of a building 20, such as a barn, house, etc. A series of fasteners 22, such as threaded bolts and nuts, connect a pair of flanges 24 and 26 to the building 20. Preferably, these bolts are slotless. These flanges in turn form an integral part of a support shaft 28. The shafts l8 and 28 are in abutting coaxial relationship. A direction indicator 30 may be rigidly attached to the support shaft 28.

In use, the shaft 18 of the weathervane must be able to rotate freely with respect to the support shaft 28. FIG. 7 shows a typical arrangement which permits this rotation to occur. Basically, a spindle 30 on the support shaft 28 is located within a recessed cavity 32 in the shaft 18. The upper end 34 of the spindle 30 and the innermost portion 36 of the cavity 32 are tapered so that the two shafts have minimal surface contact at 38. A suitable spacing element 40 or bearing may be disposed between the walls of the cavity 32 and the spindle 30 to maintain the shafts coaxial. Thus, the weathervane may be readily removed from the support shaft by lifting the weathervane upwardly.

In accordance with the invention, a rigid connection is made across the junction of the two shafts without, however, impeding the rotation of the weathervane. As shown more clearly in FIGS. 2, 4 and 7., the lock 12 includes a housing assembly which has two mating housing members 44 and 46. The housing member 44 has two generally hemi-spherical shells 48 and 50 which are interconnected by a web 52. The housing member 46 has a hemi-spherical shell 54 and a partially solid hemi-spherical member 56 which are interconnected by a web 58. The webs 52 and 58 are hinged together with pivot pins 60 which are located in aligned openings in flanges which extend from the webs. These pins 60 are non-removable and may be welded or forcefitted into place. The housing members 44 and 46 are adapted to be closed as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 and held in such closed position by a padlock 66. The hemispherical shells 48 and 54 are formed with vertically aligned openings 67 so that the shells may be brought together without contacting the shaft 18.

Referring now to FIGS. 3, 6 and 7, the shaft 18 is held in place by the interaction of the hemi-spherical shells 48 and 54 and of mutually mating flanges 70a and 7012 which are rigidly affixed to the shaft 18. Each flange has a central channel 71 to permit the flanges to enclose a portion of the shaft 18. The upper portion of the flanges 70a and 70b has a spherical contour to match the inner contour of the hemispherical shells 48 and 54. The flanges have mutually mating surfaces 72 through which openings are machined to receive threaded bolts 76. The bolts in turn are engaged by nuts 79. The nuts 79 and bolts 76 may provide adequate compression to maintain the flanges rigid with respect to the shaft 18. However, set screws 80 may be located in openings in the flanges with the ends of the screws being located in small recesses drilled into the shaft 18, as shown in FIG.

Referring now to FIGS. and 7, the details of how the housing assembly is rigidly affixed to the shaft 28 are illustrated. The hemi-spherical member 56 is solid except for a channel 84 into which is aligned the shaft 28. A mating flange 86 is secured to the hemi-spherical member 56 by threaded screws 88. Set screws 92 are located in threaded openings in the flange 86 which openings in turn are aligned with recesses drilled in the shaft 28.

In operation, the lock assembly thus described inhibits the removal of the weathervane from its support. First, the weathervane support is secured to the building by special slotless round headed bolts so that they may not be released with a screw driver. The alternatives to removing the entire weathervane are breaking the bolts or cutting the support shaft. Both methods are noisy and time-consuming which may be sufficiently disadvantageous to discourage a vandal. Secondly, the weathervane member may not be readily separated from the support shaft 28. When the shaft 18 is lifted vertically, the flanges 70a and 70b which are rigidly connected to the shaft 18, contact the inner surfaces of the hemi-spherical shells 48 and 54. The openings 67 in the shells 48 and 54 are large enough so as not to contact the shaft 18 during normal operation of the weathervane but too small to permit the flanges 70a and 70b to pass therethrough when the shaft 18 is lifted vertically. All bolts 76 and 88, nuts 79, and set screws 80 and 90 associated with the rigid connection of the lock 12 to the shafts l8 and 28 are located within the housing members comprising the lock 12. The pins 60 are specially designed to make their removal a formidable and time-consuming task. The heavy duty padlock impedes the opening of the housing except with an appropriate key.

There are several advantages to the weathervane lock herein described. First, it is freely adaptable to and compatible with existing weathervanes so that the lock assembly may be purchased as a separate kit. The lock is designed to permit its installation on the weathervane with a minimum of time, cost and effort. Installation merely requires drilling a couple of cavities in the shafts and connecting the lock to the weathervane with the appropriate bolts, nuts and set screws. Furthermore, the lock assembly is compact and does not unduly detract from the appearance of the weathervane. On the otherhand, its existance is apparant and may, alone, be enough to discourage a vandal from attempting to steal the weathervane.

The principle of the present invention is applicable not merely to weathervanes but to any application wherein a rotatable and non-rotating shaft are in an axially abutting but otherwise non-connected relationship. Such applications include various types of weather monitoring devices, such as those located at weather stations. The invention contemplates the idea of enlarging the cross-sectional area of a portion of one shaft and enclosing the enlarged portion with a housing affixed to the other shaft without impeding the relative rotation between the two shafts.

The embodiment of the present invention is intended to be merely exemplary and those skilled in the art shall be able to make numerous modifications without departing from the spirit of the invention. All such modifications are intended to be within the scope of the invention as defined in the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A lock mechanism for a weathervane of the type wherein a vertical support shaft is adapted to be attached to a suitable structure, a rotatable shaft is mounted on said support shaft and a vane is attached to said rotatable shaft, comprising:

a. a flange rigidly attached to the rotatable shaft, said flange extending around the periphery of said rotatable shaft,

b. a flange housing member including a pair of housing member halves and hinge means for connecting the housing member halves,

c. one said housing member half rigidly affixed to said support shaft,

d. said housing member halves each including a hemispherical shell which is adapted to enclose a portion of the flange and a web extending downwardly from the shell across the junction of said shafts to inhibit separation of said vane from said support shaft.

2. The lock according to claim 1 wherein one of said housing assembly halves includes means within the housing assembly for rigidly attaching said assembly to the support shaft.

3. A lock mechanism for a weathervane of the type wherein a vertical support shaft is adapted to be attached to a suitable structure, a rotatable shaft is mounted on said support shaft and a vane is attached to said rotatable shaft, comprising:

a. a generally convex annular flange member adapted to fit in a locking position around said rotatable shaft in substantially coaxial relation thereto,

b. means for clamping said flange member to said rotatable shaft in said locking position, said clamping means having accessible means for controlling the operation thereof,

c. a housing comprising two generally concave halfshell members adapted to fit in mating relation and controlling the operation thereof,

e. means for locking the other of said half-shell members to the first in said mating relation, and

f. means for rendering inaccessible the means for controlling the operation of both of the above said clamping means. 

1. A lock mechanism for a weathervane of the type wherein a vertical support shaft is adapted to be attached to a suitable structure, a rotatable shaft is mounted on said support shaft and a vane is attached to said rotatable shaft, comprising: a. a flange rigidly attached to the rotatable shaft, said flange extending around the periphery of said rotatable shaft, b. a flange housing member including a pair of housing member halves and hinge means for connecting the housing member halves, c. one said housing member half rigidly affixed to said support shaft, d. said housing member halves each including a hemispherical shell which is adapted to enclose a portion of the flange and a web extending downwardly from the shell across the junction of said shafts to inhibit separation of said vane from said support shaft.
 2. The lock according to claim 1 wherein one of said housing assembly halves includes means within the housing assembly for rigidly attaching said assembly to the support shaft.
 3. A lock mechanism for a weathervane of the type wherein a vertical support shaft is adapted to be attached to a suitable structure, a rotatable shaft is mounted on said support shaft and a vane is attached to said rotatable shaft, comprising: a. a generally convex annular flange member adapted to fit in a locking position around said rotatable shaft in substantially coaxial relation thereto, b. means for clamping said flange member to said rotatable shaft in said locking position, said clamping means having accessible means for controlling the operation thereof, c. a housing comprising two generally concave half-shell members adapted to fit in mating relation and contoured internally to form therebetween a hollow annulus of complementary shape to said flange member, d. means for clamping one of said half-shell members to said support shaft in position with its concave portion surrounding a substantial portion of said flange member in said locking position, said latter clamping means also having accessible means for controlling the operation thereof, e. means for locking the other of said half-shell members to the first in said mating relation, and f. means for rendering inaccessible the means for controlling the operation of both of the above said clamping means. 